Vancouver, Calgary and Toronto: Among the best places to live in the world! Just this week The Economist magazine listed its top liveable cities in the world, basing their rankings on a number of factors including stability, health care, culture, environment, education and infrastructure. Canada scored very well. Three Canadian cities – Vancouver, Toronto and Calgary – ranked in the Top 10.   Here's the Top 10 list of  liveable world-class cities around the world:

1. Melbourne, Australia 2. Vienna, Austria 3. Vancouver, Canada 4. Toronto, Canada 5. Adelaide, Australia 6. Calgary, Canada</a> 7. Sydney, Australia 8. Helsinki, Finland 9. Perth, Australia 10. Auckland, New Zealand Source: The Economist Intelligence Unit

   Here's what I love about the three Canadian cities (Toronto, Calgary, Vancouver) in the Top 10: Toronto: the multiculturalism of Toronto (where I now make my home) makes Toronto one of the most fascinating places to live. The ethnic neighbourhoods, the dozens of daily and weekly newspapers published in many different languages, the faces on the street, the customs, the amazing array of international cuisines, the languages I hear on the subway to work each week...

 (Chinatown at Spadina and Dundas, Toronto: Courtesy Tourism Toronto)

  Calgary: the Alberta city seems to breathe its western roots and sense of history, and not just during Stampede season. I recall how Calgarians pulled together during and after the 2013 flood. And I do love the cowboy culture that is more than the fad it's become in other cities. That's just the way many folks are. I have family in Calgary who have always gravitated toward laid-back, down-home kinds of places. I think I understand why they've chosen Calgary to live.

(Fort Calgary historic park: a sense of history, an enduring spirit of place)

Vancouver: Seldom have I visited a city where the great outdoors is so accessible.  Vancouver offers spots of outdoorsy wilderness and green forests right within the city. The sea wall in Stanley Park and Capilano Bridge are accessible from the downtown core of Vancouver within minutes. Plus, you've got Grouse Mountain a short jaunt away and then incredible Squamish just up the highway.

 (Capilano Suspension Bridge: just minutes from downtown Vancouver)

What Canadian city do you think should have made it to the Top 10? Why so?